title: Alexithymia and its relationships with C-reactive protein and serum lipid levels among drug naïve adult outpatients with major depression.
abstract: Several studies have investigated the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum lipid levels in Major Depression (MD), but no study has, to date, evaluated the impact of alexithymia on these parameters. Therefore, the aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate the relationship between alexithymia, suicide risk, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum lipid levels in adult outpatients suffering from moderate to severe MD. CRP and serum lipid levels data were analyzed in 145 drug-naïve adult outpatients (69 men, 76 women) with a DSM-IV diagnosis of MD. Alexithymia was measured with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), depression severity was evaluated with the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and suicide risk was determined using the Scale of Suicide Ideation (SSI). Alexithymics showed altered serum lipid levels and higher CRP than non-alexithymics. In the linear regression models, lower total cholesterol levels and "Difficulty in Identifying Feelings" dimension of TAS-20 were significantly associated with depression severity, whereas lower high-density lipoprotein levels and "Difficulty in Identifying and Describing Feelings" dimensions of TAS-20 were associated with higher suicide risk. Authors discuss study limitations and future research needs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Neurosciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti, Italy. dodebera@aliceposta.it
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Berardis
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Serroni
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carano
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gambi
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valchera
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sepede
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scali
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fulcheri
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.forename: Filippo Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ferro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein